11 security personnel martyred in VBIED attack on Bajaur checkpost

ISLAMABAD: Eleven security personnel were martyred in a terrorist attack involving an explosive-laden vehicle on a joint checkpost in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attack took place on February 16 when militants attempted to target a joint security forces and law enforcement checkpost in the district.

The ISPR said the attackers belonged to what it described as “Indian proxy, Fitna al Khwarij”—a term used by the state for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Security forces retaliated and engaged the fleeing militants, eliminating 12 terrorists in the ensuing operation. However, during the assault, the attackers rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the checkpost.

“Due to the blast impact, infrastructure at the checkpost collapsed, resultantly eleven brave sons of soil rendered the ultimate sacrifice and embraced martyrdom,” the statement said.

The explosion also damaged nearby residential buildings, leading to the martyrdom of an innocent young girl. Seven other civilians, including women and children, were injured.

The ISPR said sanitisation operations were underway to eliminate any remaining militants in the area. It added that a relentless counterterrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam,” approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue to root out foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country.

President, PM Condemn Attack

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the martyrs, saying their sacrifice strengthened the nation’s resolve to eliminate terrorism.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also denounced the attack in the strongest terms and extended sympathies to the bereaved families. He prayed for the recovery of the injured and lauded security forces for their timely response in eliminating 12 militants.

“The entire nation stands with Pakistan’s armed forces in this war against terrorism,” the premier said, reiterating the country’s determination to eradicate militancy.

The attack comes amid a surge in violence in the province. According to the Annual Security Report 2025 by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), fatalities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rose from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025—an increase of 711 deaths, marking nearly a 44 per cent year-on-year surge in violence.